Mahan, Couples beat the heat to lead golf tournaments

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JUNE 12: Hunter Mahan of the United States looks on during a practice round prior to the start of the 112th U.S. Open at The Olympic Club on June 12, 2012 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)

Photo: Andrew Redington

BETHESDA, Md. - A punishing golf course. Temperatures that topped 100. Hunter Mahan still managed to make Friday at Congressional feel like a breeze.

Mahan made seven birdies in the stifling heat for a 6-under 65, giving him a two-shot lead at 7-under 135 at the AT&T National as he goes after a PGA Tour-leading third win of the year.

Tiger Woods stayed in the game with a 68 in the morning, when it was so hot that towels were used to wipe sweaty faces more than to clean clubs. He was five shots behind.

Mahan, though, has set himself apart for two days.

"I hit a lot of good shots," said Mahan, who missed only two fairways and three greens. "I hit so many fairways and greens, I made it easy on myself. This is a pretty punishing golf course if you get off line a little bit. I put myself in some great spots to make putts. And I felt like I played well on the back, when it was getting really hot and you're getting a little bit more tired."

Couples sizzles in Senior Players

Defending champion Fred Couples birdied the final three holes in sweltering conditions for a 7-under 63 and the second-round lead in the Senior Players Championship in Pittsburgh.

Couples reached 11-under 129 on a day when the temperature reached 96 degrees with a heat index of 105.

"The heat helps," said Couples, who suffers from a chronically bad back. "I have some heat on my back to start the day, and then being hot and humid certainly was a good thing."

Joe Daley was a stroke back after a 64 put him at 130 in the third of five Champions Tour major tournaments.

Felibert fires career-best 65

Veronica Felibert shot a career-best 6-under 65 to take the first-round lead in the LPGA Tour's NW Arkansas Championship in Rogers.

Felibert, a rookie from Venezuela who made the field as the second alternate, had seven birdies and needed only 27 putts. The round came after the former Southern California player missed the cuts in her previous three tournaments, and one week after switching to a new putter.

China's Shanshan Feng, the LPGA Championship winner this month, was a stroke back at 66.

No. 2 ranked Stacy Lewis, the former University of Arkansas star who has won twice this year, had a 70.

Woolf on top in NGA event

Former TCU standout Travis Woolf carded a 4-under 68 in the second round of the NGA Tour's GolfCrest Classic in Pearland to reach 10-under par and was three shots clear of the field when play was suspended due to inclement weather.